Subaru Legacy/Outback Wheel bearing failure
outdoors84102
Member Posts: 1
in Subaru
I just had to replace a right-rear wheel bearing in a 2006 Outback 2.5 XT wagon at 15,300 miles!!!
I found a bunch of posts on premature wheel bearing failures on older models -- 1998 to 2001.
Is this a chronic problem with Subarus or is an old problem resurfacing? Is there anything to be done to make sure that if the problem continues past the warranty coverage that the costs will be covered by Subaru?
I found a bunch of posts on premature wheel bearing failures on older models -- 1998 to 2001.
Is this a chronic problem with Subarus or is an old problem resurfacing? Is there anything to be done to make sure that if the problem continues past the warranty coverage that the costs will be covered by Subaru?
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Ironically the fix was to upgrade to the Legacy's design, so we even had the part numbers handy for Forester/Impreza owners.
I haven't seen too many post 2003 Subarus with the problem, so let's hope it's an anomaly.
-mike
Why would you buy a vehicle that was a pile of krap? :confuse:
-mike
Obviously you didnt read my posts, my subaru forester is pile of junk BECAUSE,
1) THE TRANSMISSION slipped from day one and was replaced with a remanufactured trans by the dealer at 5000 miles .new car rebuilt trans BS !
2) The car drives terrible and feels unsafe at freeway speeds..
3) The car has had four wheel bearings replaced in less than thirteen thousand miles..
4) The car has a terrible axle shaft or drivetrain vibration that two dealers have been unable to fix...
5) The car has been a complete rattle trap from day one and still has issues
6) I am finding many other forester owners with the same complaints and i think a class action lawsuit against subaru might give us a small amount of justice
Thank you for your concern,btw do you work for subaru or what?
Erik
-mike
I refuse to believe that.
From day one?
You mean you test drove it, concluded it was a rattle trap, and then gave the dealer money for it?
Sorry, that doesn't add up.
That does not make it any less frustrating now. I tell you what, nothing has ever put a bigger smile on my face (other than the day my wife agreed to marry me... haha, what a mistake on her part!) than the first day I drove my '08 after having driven 2500 miles over 5 days in an F350 crew cab towing 14,000#! It was just me, the empty car, a nice, twisty road, and not a single rattle to be heard.
Rattle trap from day one, no. Not plausible. He would not have bought it.
Also, wheel bearings should be replaced in pairs, for balance.
How did they replace 3, then 1 more later? Both odd numbers.
Something is wrong here, at the very minimum that dealer was completely incompetent.
Erik
Axles, maybe.
But never wheel bearings, and I've done several on impezas and my race cars over the years. We have a bearing press in our shop which we use for that purpose almost exclusively.
-mike
I had one bad one on our Mazda 626, they replaced the pair. :confuse:
-mike
-mike
Usually, if a wheel bearing required replacement it has been as a consequence of the flexible rubber boot over the joint being pierced and the joint losing lubrication.
Five hours sound like about the right time adn labour rates can be checked byu calling a couple of local garages - rates vary depending upon dealers location and cost structure.
Cheers
Graham
In another thread someone paid $200 to have an axle boot replaced. That should be a similar amount of work (remove caliper, rotor, etc.).
I haven't done it before, but it seems kinda high. You sure they didn't do anything else?
As with what juice said.... that was the only work they did?
Axles/CVs on a Subaru is relatively quick and easy.
Bearing on the other hand is a PITA.
The whole entire assembly of the knuckle and hub must be removed from the vehicle, then you need to press the bearing out. If the wheel bearing is shot to the point where it damaged the knuckle then you have to replace that as well. It's not a simple pull out the bearing thing, at least on all but the 05+ legacies.
However with that said the price is usually in the $300-400 range, I've seen it at dealers as high as $600.
-mike
I would think the Tribeca and 08+ Imprezas have this style as well.
-mike
For sure it puts stress on the bearing.
Sean
-mike
My 2007 forester had four wheel bearings replaced within the first 13,000 miles..Thanks to a great atty. (Brian bickel law firm) Subaru bought my car back at full price and paid my atty. fees...I would sell that pile asap! good luck..
Erik... :lemon:
Erik :P
-mike
Sorry but to burst your subaru love bubble but the area rep and subaru customer service were just as bad..I am very shocked that subaru is finally starting to admit that their cars have serious wheel bearing issues.There were alot of owners out there wanting to petition the ntsb about it...Well, my subaru nightmare is finally over hopefully it will fade quickly from memory...
Erik :sick:
How were they "bad" you should qualify that. Did they refuse to replace the bearings? Doubtful. Chances are the dealer who replaced them, did not re-install them properly (over torquing of the bearings kills them off the bat).
I don't have a "love bubble" for Subaru, heck I only own 1 Subaru right now along with my Armada and my next car will likely not even be a Subaru (unless the next legacy grows in size). I just don't like folks coming on here with un-quantified statements making claims against manufacturers and/or other users.
-mike
YOU are the one coming onto this forum making UNQUALIFIED statements,as a host on this forum you should be ashamed.You and the rest of your cronies on this forum were no help whatsoever when i only came here for help and insight into my problem forester..So mike, you are now claiming to be more knowledgable than two subaru dealerships,a regional subaru rep and soa customer service? what a crock! get a life! :P
-mike
Since you obviously didnt read my earlier posts why are you even bothering to comment now..? The first mechanic that attempted to repair my forester was a shop foreman at the dealership with twenty five years of experience working on subarus..How many years experience do you have?Maybe you can start a new career repairing all the subaru lemons since you're so well respected by soa! The mechanic at the second dealer was also a very experienced troubleshooter,he had the car for four days and still coudlnt fix it either..What was your earlier suggestion?that they both over torqued the bearings? It doesnt matter what type of bearings subaru uses they all have above average failure rates.
:P
-mike
Like i said before the service mgrs and mechanics ignored my theories of cvc joints or other components causing the problem..They used a device called the "EAR" that pinpoints the problem..Do you own one of these? Excessive wear on a knuckle on a car that has less than a thousand miles on it?Over the last twenty five years i have owned more than ten cars with over 100.000 miles on them and never had a bearing failure or had to replace a transmission..You must be a busy man working on all that subaru junk...
:lemon:
On a side note ALL MECHANICAL PARTS CAN and DO FAIL, no matter if it's the best brand or the worst brand.
-mike
-mike
When i took my car to the second dealer,on every occasion there were two or three newer 05,06 and 07 outbacks sitting in the service area with their engines removed..Any ideas on this?? because at one point i considered trading my forester for an outback but soa reneged on the offer.. :confuse:
-mike
I think you are confusing the wheel bearing wti the CV joint. CV joint ofter fail as a result of a brolen boot that allows the CV bearing grease to become contminated with water and abrasive dirt.
The wheel bearing seals are located in a more protected area at the wheel hub, where damage is less likely.
If the vehicle is driven off road, CV joint boot damage can occur very easily. Anyone who drives off road must frequently inspect the CV joint boots or suffer the cosequnces of expensive CV joint replacement.
gearhead4